Rep. Panetta Announces Student Winners of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition
Monterey, CA – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) announced the winners of the annual Congressional Art Competition held for local high school students. Claire Hamilton from San Lorenzo Valley High School earned first place for her piece titled, “Hearts at Rest.” Claire’s artwork will be proudly displayed in the United States Capitol alongside winning submissions from across the country.
The Congressional Art Competition is a nationwide tradition that began in 1982. Since then, more than 650,000 high school students have participated. Each spring, congressional offices select a winning piece to be displayed in the United States Capitol. First-place winners and a family member are invited to Washington, D.C. for a special ceremony honoring their achievement. This year, 21 students from every county in the 19th Congressional District submitted original artwork for the competition.
“Through their expression, these high school artists reflected the beauty, diversity, and shared values of our home in California’s 19th Congressional District,” said Rep. Panetta. “I’ll see Claire’s artwork every day as I walk through the Capitol and feel a deep sense of pride for the young people that I represent. Our community is stronger, and our democracy is healthier when young people comprehend what it means to engage, whether through art, service, or civic participation.”
The full list of winners and honorees for the 2025 Congressional Art Competition is below:
- First Place: Claire Hamilton, San Lorenzo Valley High School, “Hearts at Rest”
- Second Place: Daeun Jung, California School of Art and Design, “In a Mother’s Eye”
- Third Place: Vivian Ming, Pacific Grove High School, “A Brilliant, Billion of Stars”
- Honorable Mention for Composition: Finn Maxwell, San Lorenzo Valley High School, “Remembering Something in Spring”
- Honorable Mention for Creative Vision: Seta Nicholson, Harbor High School, “The Privation”
- Honorable Mention for Distinctive Style: Sophia Spivey, Pacific Grove High School, “What Becomes of Roads No Longer Traveled”
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